The Hive Sports

by James Tate

The Bonneville Lakers entered Friday night’s Region 5 clash at home at Wallace Thomas Budge Field desperate for their first win of the season. But any hopes of a breakthrough were quickly dashed by the relentless firepower of the West Field Longhorns. Led by sophomore quarterback Easton Eilertson, the Longhorns lit up the scoreboard in a 61-21 rout, cementing their status as one of Class 5A’s most explosive offenses.

Eilertson was nearly flawless, tossing six touchdown passes to bring his season total to 21, against just two interceptions —a stat line that’s drawing statewide attention. His precision and poise set the tone early, and his top targets made sure the Lakers’ secondary had no room to breathe.

Junior Gavin Ortegon and senior Jaden Fowers were electric from start to finish. Ortegon hauled in six catches for 175 yards and three scores, while Fowers added five receptions for 121 yards and three touchdowns of his own. Their chemistry with Eilertson was evident, and their ability to stretch the field kept Bonneville on its heels all night.

Gavin Ortegon

Now 4-1 on the season and winners of two straight in Region 5 play, the Longhorns have already eclipsed last year’s point total, a testament to the unit’s growth and the dominance of their offensive line.

“Our offense is doing really well so far,” Ortegon said. “All the receivers are doing their role, and we’re playing well as a team. It also helps having a good offensive line that hasn’t allowed a sack all year; it makes it a lot easier for our quarterback to get us the ball.”

That front five, consisting of seniors Brexton White, Tyson Clarke, Judson Yorgason, Ryker Jensen, and junior Ryan Rowley, has quietly become one of the most reliable units in the region, giving Eilertson time to operate and opening lanes for the Longhorns’ balanced offense.

First half: Longhorns surge past Lakers with offensive fireworks

After both teams opened with stalled possessions, the Longhorns broke through first on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Eilertson to Ortegon. Though the extra point missed its mark, West Field grabbed an early 6-0 lead.

Bonneville responded with urgency. A deep strike from junior quarterback Paden Toula to senior receiver Daniel Park, coupled with a roughing-the-passer penalty, set up senior Noah Chavez for an 18-yard touchdown run that tied the game at 6-6 with 5:07 left in the first quarter.

Boston Kap

But the Lakers’ momentum was short-lived. On the ensuing kickoff, senior Boston Kap delivered a game-changing return to the Bonneville 10-yard line, flipping field position and setting the Longhorns up with prime scoring territory. Eilertson capped the drive with a three-yard touchdown run, pushing the lead to 13-6 with 3:24 remaining in the quarter.

West Field’s defense tightened up, forcing a punt to close the first frame. Then, just seconds into the second quarter, Eilertson connected with Fowers on a 70-yard bomb, extending the lead to 20-6.

Bonneville’s special teams briefly pinned the Longhorns deep with a punt downed at the one-yard line, but West Field responded with a lightning-fast 99-yard drive in just 40 seconds. Eilertson found Fowers again, this time from 18 yards out, to make it 27-6 with 7:40 left in the half.

The Longhorns weren’t done. After another defensive stop, a perfectly executed hook-and-lateral play showcased the speed of White, who raced 50 yards down the sideline for a touchdown and a 34-6 advantage with 6:28 on the clock.

Bonneville managed to trim the deficit with 1:44 left in the half, as Toula connected with senior Ashton Spackman on a 13-yard touchdown pass to make it 34-13. But the Lakers’ momentum was fleeting.

Just seconds later, Eilertson found Ortegon over the middle for a 75-yard touchdown strike, silencing the Bonneville sideline and pushing the Longhorns’ lead to 40-13 at the break.

Lakers Ashton Spackman, Longhorns Corbin Price

Second half: Longhorns’ defense shines after halftime

The second half picked up right where the first left off, with the Longhorns striking quickly. Just minutes into the third quarter, Eilertson connected with Ortegon for a 63-yard touchdown, stretching the lead to 47-13 with 10:15 remaining.

Bonneville leaned on its passing game to claw back into contention, but West Field’s secondary was locked in. Junior safety Ace Charlesworth and senior Cooper Roundy each snagged interceptions in the third quarter, halting the Lakers’ momentum and setting up more scoring opportunities.

In between the takeaways, Eilertson found Fowers for a 23-yard touchdown pass, his sixth of the night, pushing the Longhorns’ lead to 54-13 heading into the final frame.

Defensively, West Field was anchored by seniors Bridger Wood, Corbin Price, and Charlesworth, each recording five tackles. Senior Ryder Smith added two tackles for loss, consistently disrupting Bonneville’s backfield and keeping the pressure on.

“The defense had a lot of energy, and we were able to come out hard and aggressive,” Price said. “The other team had been taunting us and trying to get in our heads, but that only made us want the win more. Our defense executed well on third downs, which was huge. We give these games our all because for some of us it’s coming close to our last, so we make the best of it and give it our best.”

The game’s leading rusher was Longhorns junior Elijah Woods, with a season-high 78 yards on 13 carries.

The scoring wrapped up with senior Kolt Abbott breaking loose for a 25-yard touchdown run, followed by a late 65-yard touchdown pass from Toula to Spackman, a final spark for the Lakers.

photos courtesy of James Tate